Authentic Pesto Recipe
Learn how to make pesto with this classic fresh basil pesto recipe. It’s easy to make in the blender or food processor with a few main ingredients, and always tastes so fresh and delicious.
Ingrédients
- 250g basil leaves and stalks To measure basil, just discard the thicker stems and lightly pack the leaves down into a measuring cup.
- 100g pine nuts Lightly toasted, to bring out the flavor.
- 120g Parmesan cheese Freshly grated for maximum flavor. (Or you can use pre-grated cheese to save a step, but I would recommend adding in a bit more since it’s not as flavorful).
- 3 clove garlic, minced No need to mince, your blender or food processor will do that for you.
- 350ml extra virgin olive oil I recommend using good-quality oil for the best flavor.
- ¼ teaspoon of mince sea salt Probably the biggest mistake people make with homemade pesto is not seasoning it enough, so be sure to taste and add more salt
- ⅓ teaspoon black ground pepper the same comment for black ground pepper
- Juice of ½ lemon
Instructions
- Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet or frying pan until fragrant and golden, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Place pine nuts, garlic, parmesan cheese (if using), basil leaves, and lemon juice,salt,black pepper in a food processor. Pulse until all ingredients are well chopped. With food processor running, drizzle in olive oil until smooth. (Add some additional olive oil if needed to help everything blend.)
Notes
Key Steps for Pesto from the Food Processor
Process half of the basil first. The best pesto has a mixture of fine and rough pieces of basil in the finished sauce. Traditional pesto is made in a mortar and pestle to get that texture. By adding the basil in two batches (and carefully pulsing) we can replicate that text with less work.
Pulse, don’t blend. Part of pesto’s appeal is its rough texture that clings beautifully to pasta and bread. Over process the sauce and pine nuts will be better and the sauce will be too thin to coat pasta.
Stream in the oil. Once the basil, pine nuts, garlic and cheese are evenly distributed stream in olive oil using the steady pulse to create an emulsion that keeps the sauce together.
Storing Basil Pesto
Store pesto in the smallest container possible with the smallest top surface area and thoroughly pack it in to eliminate air pockets. Pour a thin layer of olive oil over the surface or press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the pesto, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Pesto can also be frozen for several months.